Review of Damned Yankees
Posted: 07 Jun 2025, 14:27
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Damned Yankees" by Ray Deptula.]
In November 1829, Roger Coleman Stuyvesant from Annapolis, Maryland, knocked on Jack Halliday's door in Blue Hill, Maine. He tells Jack that the day before his mother died, she told him that Jack was his father and the only family he had left. She had also told him that Jack was a soldier who had left and never returned. Jack proceeds to tell Roger his life story, beginning when he was 16 years old, working on a slave ship for three years before returning home to Liverpool, England, where he became a private in the King's Own regiment. How did a British soldier end up in Annapolis, Maryland? Why didn't Jack know he had a son? Read Damned Yankees by Ray Deptula to follow Jack's journey and learn the early history of America when it consisted of 13 colonies.
Ray Deptula did a fantastic job of telling America's history during the Revolutionary War with Jack's story. The author explained both the British and the colonists' points of view about their conflict, their attitudes, and the differences between a professional army and disorganized militias. Learning about the different leadership skills employed throughout the storyline gave me a better understanding of Benedict Arnold's downfall from being one of George Washington's favorites. This is just one example of how a leadership style can influence someone else. Although Jack was someone who was constantly searching for something, I admired the strength the author gave him to live by his own principles. For example, for Jack, there was something worse than death. I liked that each chapter started with a quote from various sources, including the Bible, King George III, military officers, and even an epitaph on a bridge, to name a few. One of my favorites was this Chinese proverb: "Do not waste good iron for nails or good men for soldiers," as it was applied to the storyline.
There was nothing I disliked about this professionally edited book, as the author kept me intrigued with the historical information about France, England, the original 13 American colonies, and much more. As is common in most books about wars and slavery, there is some gory content and inhumane actions that may be offensive to some readers. However, these types of content made the story more factual and realistic. Ray Deptula's writing skills, historical knowledge, and storytelling abilities justify the 5 out of 5 stars I gave this book. I found no reason whatsoever to deduct any stars from this perfect score.
This book is best suited for Christian fans of historical fiction about the Revolutionary War. Due to the many biblical scriptures and other religious content, non-believers may find portions of this book offensive. Sensitive readers may be offended by the profanity and the gory and inhumane content in this book.
******
Damned Yankees
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In November 1829, Roger Coleman Stuyvesant from Annapolis, Maryland, knocked on Jack Halliday's door in Blue Hill, Maine. He tells Jack that the day before his mother died, she told him that Jack was his father and the only family he had left. She had also told him that Jack was a soldier who had left and never returned. Jack proceeds to tell Roger his life story, beginning when he was 16 years old, working on a slave ship for three years before returning home to Liverpool, England, where he became a private in the King's Own regiment. How did a British soldier end up in Annapolis, Maryland? Why didn't Jack know he had a son? Read Damned Yankees by Ray Deptula to follow Jack's journey and learn the early history of America when it consisted of 13 colonies.
Ray Deptula did a fantastic job of telling America's history during the Revolutionary War with Jack's story. The author explained both the British and the colonists' points of view about their conflict, their attitudes, and the differences between a professional army and disorganized militias. Learning about the different leadership skills employed throughout the storyline gave me a better understanding of Benedict Arnold's downfall from being one of George Washington's favorites. This is just one example of how a leadership style can influence someone else. Although Jack was someone who was constantly searching for something, I admired the strength the author gave him to live by his own principles. For example, for Jack, there was something worse than death. I liked that each chapter started with a quote from various sources, including the Bible, King George III, military officers, and even an epitaph on a bridge, to name a few. One of my favorites was this Chinese proverb: "Do not waste good iron for nails or good men for soldiers," as it was applied to the storyline.
There was nothing I disliked about this professionally edited book, as the author kept me intrigued with the historical information about France, England, the original 13 American colonies, and much more. As is common in most books about wars and slavery, there is some gory content and inhumane actions that may be offensive to some readers. However, these types of content made the story more factual and realistic. Ray Deptula's writing skills, historical knowledge, and storytelling abilities justify the 5 out of 5 stars I gave this book. I found no reason whatsoever to deduct any stars from this perfect score.
This book is best suited for Christian fans of historical fiction about the Revolutionary War. Due to the many biblical scriptures and other religious content, non-believers may find portions of this book offensive. Sensitive readers may be offended by the profanity and the gory and inhumane content in this book.
******
Damned Yankees
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon